DCE for Kasena/Nankana West, Gerard Ataogye
The District Chief Executive of the Kasena/Nankana West District Assembly, Gerard Ataogye, has said the surest way to end hunger and malnutrition in the area is to embrace the planting for food and jobs policy being rolled out by government throughout the country.
He said the policy is one of government's intervention to boast food production to secure a future against hunger and create jobs for the youth in the district in the area of agriculture.
Speaking to the chiefs and people from Nakong, Katiu and Kayoro areas during day one of his two day familiarization tour of the district, Mr. Ataogye said the district's deficit in food production can only be matched if people in the area begin to embrace and take advantage of the policy.
He added that weeding out malnutrition in children and the district becoming a food production hub in the region can also be achievable when the policy is given the needed support and participation.
" A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. When we get good food to eat, we are able to go about our duties well and we are able to think well to develop our district. That's why government is rolling out the planting for food and jobs policy.
With this policy, government will support us to be able to produce enough food for ourselves, families and also sell to earn income. This way, our children are able to eat better to fight malnutrition and hunger will be a thing of the past". He stressed.
Garnering support for the assembly, the DCE made a clarion call on traditional authorities in the district to throw their weight on the other policies of government such as the one-village, one dam and free-shs, adding that government is making frantic efforts to offer a betterment in the lives of people in the district.
In return, Mr. Ataogye assured traditional authorities, which he described as pivotal in the development of the district, of the Assembly's unrelenting support for their areas.
He said the assembly will work assiduously to provide communities with basic infrastructure such as extension of electric power to the areas, provision of portable drinking water, schools and health centres to promote better living.
Chiefs take their turn.
The chief of Nakong, Pe J.B Afogachie, who was first on the call, congratulated the DCE on his appointment.
In his welcome speech, Pe Afogachie used the opportunity to appeal to the assembly to address the challenges confronting the community in the areas of drinking water, health and education.
He particularly asked for the completion of a health centre project in the area which has stalled due to lack of funding.
He assured the assembly of his support for all projects in the area.
Pe Murtala Ayikode Zangwio Atoge lV, Chief of Katiu, commended government for the subsidy on fertilizers and appealed for a point of sale in his community to allow for easy access to the fertilizers for his people.
He also added his voice on the issues confronting education and asked the assembly to do more to curtail the challenges.
"Government should also speed up plans on the construction of the One Village, One Dam in our community " Pe Ayikode Zangwio added. This, he believes will help ensure food security in his area.
Kayoro–Pio, Pe Oscar Batabi Tiyiamu ll, thanked government for offloading the burden of having to sell their livestock to cater for the fees of their wards with the introduction of the free–SHS policy.
According to him, the number of parents who struggled to pay fees of their wards had reduced tremendously. A development that has enabled parents to save enough money for other profitable ventures.
He was also of the hope that the One Village, One Dam policy when commenced and completed in his area will help curtail the challenge of rural–urban drift that has had debilitating effects on the growth of his community. He appealed to the assembly and government to start work on the dam as soon as possible.
Pe Batabi Tiyiamu ll concluded his speech with a passionate call on government to as matter of urgency come to the rescue of the only road that leads to the area.
The road which serves as the prprincipal linkage to the Kayoro community and other parts of the district is in a deplorable state. Erosion has eaten a better part of it leaving deep gullies that make passage difficult.
